Trust The Process

5 miles @ 7:59 avg pace (treadmill)

The run felt easy today.  I am hoping I am almost back to where I was before I took a week and a half off a couple weeks ago.  Going for a long tempo run tomorrow at half marathon pace to see where my fitness stands with the DC Half coming in less than two weeks.

Long tempo run today

1 mile warm up, 7 miles @ 6:49 pace, .25 mile cool down jog plus 3 minutes walking (treadmill)

My legs and lungs felt strong today and could have pushed it a couple more miles at that pace.  My breathing got a little messed up as I tried to eat my sport beans mid way through the run.  Thinking I will go with Gel for the half so I don't have to chew as much.  Hopefully the race atmosphere will help my permormance, but I am thinking about making my goal pace a little bit slower for the half.  I have had a much better experience racing in the past when I finish races strong as opposed to struggling to the finish.

4 miles @ 8:12 pace

Legs felt fresh today the day after the long tempo run

5 miles @ 7:57 avg pace (treadmill)

I didn't feel good at all for the first 2 miles.  Afterwards, things started feeling better so I finished the run with some strides at half marathon pace.

Long run tomorrow.  Planning on 18 miles, but will shut it down early if my ankle flares up.

14 miles @ 8:20 pace

Did my long run on Forbidden Drvie today in North Philly.  It had been a few months since I ran here and I was not used to the soft trail or the hills.  Half way through, I went off the trail to run some steep hills around the Chestnut Hill area.  I took the downhill section heading back to the trail at race pace as the decline simulated a section of the DC course.

I have not been hill training at all lately and it showed.  By about 12 miles in, my legs were burning and had nothing left.  I struggled for two miles before calling it quits for the day.  Given the hills on the DC course throughout, this does not help my confidence. 

I am going to run the majority of my long runs here for the next 10 weeks leading up to the Marathon to strenghen my legs since the marathon course is a significant elevation decline with rolling sections during the second half.